My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 379 What the Prince Doesn’t Want, I Want
The first snow of the 19th year of Zhenguan came later than usual.

After more than half a year of construction, the outline of the Daming Palace has basically taken shape.

In the Hanyuan Hall, watching the snowflakes falling, Li Chengqian fell into deep thought.

The current situation is a bit awkward, neither going up nor down, and it seems that there is a stalemate with Li Shimin.

Going through Xuanwu Gate is not feasible for the time being, but the team under his command is not enough to replace the court.

Is it really going to drag on like this?

Historically, Li Shimin died in the 23rd year of Zhenguan.

It is now the end of the 19th year and according to the normal progress, it only needs to be delayed for three years.

Li Chengqian can still wait for three years.

The question is, will Li Shimin die three years later?

I don't think so.

After all, in history, Li Shimin died from taking elixirs, but he doesn't take them now.

Am I being a little impatient?
After entering Chang'an, many things did not go according to the original ideas.

"Your Highness, it's getting cold, please put on some more clothes."

Crown Princess Su Yuer came over and put a cloak on Li Chengqian.

In fact, Li Chengqian didn't feel much. It's not that he was immune to cold and heat, but in his current physical condition, let alone a few snowflakes, even a winter swim wouldn't make much of a difference.

I had a brief chat with Crown Princess Su Yuer.

Now Su Yuer's mentality is much more stable and she is not as confused as before.

After occupying the Daming Palace, the prince also had the power to protect himself. After all, artillery is not just for decoration.

Besides, His Majesty has not completely torn relations with him, and the prince's edicts are still very deterrent in Chang'an.

Soon, Du He rushed over.

Seeing that they had something to discuss, Su Yuer left.

The harem does not interfere in political affairs. On this point, Su Yuer has always been very aware of the boundaries.

"Your Highness! The Ministry of Personnel has just sent a message that the registration for this year's imperial examinations will end tomorrow."

Du He reported softly.

Hou Junji has been reinstated. Li Shimin seems to have forgotten Hou Junji's previous mistakes. The prince has already returned to Chang'an, so he doesn't care about it anymore.

"So soon?" Li Chengqian turned around, the hem of his cloak sweeping off the snow on the railing. He stroked the unfinished dragon relief on the railing, his fingertips touching the rough lines carved by the craftsman, "After the cancellation of the roll system, have the poor children signed up enthusiastically?"

Li Chengqian attached great importance to this imperial examination. He was short of people now, so naturally he had to recruit more talents as his team.

Du He pulled out a document from his sleeve: "According to the data reported by the states, the number of people has increased by 30% compared to previous years. But..."

He paused and lowered his voice, "The Cui family of Qinghe and the Zheng family of Xingyang have jointly written a letter to impeach Your Highness for 'disrupting the laws established by our ancestors and undermining the morals of the literati'. The censors have also begun to make trouble in the court."

Li Chengqian chuckled and said, "It's as expected. In the past, the children of noble families could enter the government by just applying for a certificate. Now that this shortcut is gone, they will naturally be upset."

Then he asked, "Do you know why I insisted on abolishing the scroll?"

Du He replied: "Your Highness wants to cut off the rope that the aristocratic families use to control the official career."

"In the past, the imperial examinations were a test for poor scholars who studied hard for ten years, but their results were no match for an essay written by a son of an aristocratic family and presented to the rich and powerful. Now that it has been changed to a closed-book exam, where candidates are selected based on their real talents and knowledge, how can those wealthy families not be nervous?"

Li Chengqian nodded slightly: "Do you remember last year's autumn examination, there was a poor student named Li Xian? His essays were brilliant, and his policy papers pointed directly at the current political malpractices, but because he did not submit his paper to the chief examiner, he was not even qualified to announce the results."

Du He echoed, "Your Highness, this reform will probably offend the noble families of the world. A few days ago, there was a rumor in Chang'an that without the imperial examination papers, the imperial examination would be like 'a blind man touching an elephant'."

Li Chengqian smiled and didn't care about it.

Abolishing investment banking papers is like cutting flesh with a blunt knife, which will destroy the foundation of aristocratic families. With the rise of students from the lower classes, the aristocratic families' monopoly on knowledge will gradually be abolished.

These times don’t happen overnight, but we’re off to a good start.

"Is there any movement from Father's side?"

Li Chengqian knew very well that Li Shimin was eager for him to fight with the aristocratic families.

Du He shook his head: "There has been no movement from His Majesty."

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "Let's follow the rules. After the New Year, it will be the imperial examination, and the results will be known by then."
-
Tai Chi Palace.

The charcoal fire has been lit at this moment.

With the popularity of coal, almost every household in Chang'an city now uses coal.

In comparison, the price is slightly higher than firewood, but it is more durable.

The most important thing is that coal is an important source of income for Li Shimin. It was promoted by the imperial court and its logging was prohibited, so the people and officials had no choice.

Inside the hall, a small red clay stove crackled, and the warmth could not dispel the dark cloud between Li Shimin's brows.

"Wuji, you said, this child Chengqian..."

Li Shimin casually threw the memorial on the table.

"Abolishing the scroll system seems to benefit the country and the people, but has he ever thought about how many people's foundations this will affect?"

Although he said that, Li Shimin also supported it in his heart.

Otherwise, the prince's orders cannot be spread throughout the country.

Changsun Wuji naturally understood the hidden meaning of his majesty's words. Besides, it was a foregone conclusion and there was no point in discussing right or wrong.

He carefully considered his words: "Your Majesty, although the Crown Prince's move is radical, it is a long-term plan. If the children of poor families serve as officials in the court, they may be able to break the control of the court by the aristocratic families."

Li Shimin sneered: "What do you mean by long-term plan? He is cultivating his own power! Look, in such a short period of time, the number of poor students recommended by various states has increased dramatically. In the future, those people will only recognize the prince, not me as the emperor!"

Li Shimin knew what the prince was thinking, but he did not stop him.

What's wrong with a few complaints?

Changsun Wuji bowed his head and said nothing. The only sound in the hall was the crackling of the charcoal fire. After a long while, he slowly said, "But your majesty, have you forgotten that when your majesty first ascended the throne, wasn't it also eager to recruit talents and break the shackles of family background? Isn't the prince's move the same as your majesty's original intention?"

The main purpose is comfort.

The situation is relatively stable now. The prince does not have enough resources, so he can only slowly accumulate strength, which frees up a lot of time.

Changsun Wuji was caught between the Crown Prince and His Majesty, and was in a dilemma.

Seeing that His Majesty remained silent, Zhangsun Wuji spoke again: "Your Majesty, the prince is your eldest son after all, and he has been intelligent since childhood."

Li Shimin waved his hand, interrupting Zhangsun Wuji's words, and looked at the heavy snow outside the palace, his thoughts drifting away: "When Cheng Qian was a child, he loved to sit on my lap and listen to my advice on governing the country. Now, he wants to compete with me."

Zhang Sun Wuji sighed softly, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince and you both care about the world. Perhaps, after the imperial examination, your Majesty and the Crown Prince can have a frank talk and resolve this rift. The Tang Dynasty is in its heyday, and only when father and son are of one mind can there be long-term peace and stability."

Li Shimin was silent for a long time, and then murmured: "Father and son are of the same mind, is it too late?"
-
In the warm room of Prince Wei's mansion, the scent of ambergris wafted from the animal-head incense burner. Li Tai leaned against the tiger-skin mattress, his fingertips repeatedly stroking the secret report he had just received.

The snow outside the window made the room look pale, which complemented the sinister look in his eyes.

"King Wei, the Crown Prince's abolition of the scroll system has caused resentment among the noble families."

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

Chai Lingwu was the best at seizing opportunities. As long as it was not a matter of treason, he was willing to give advice to the King of Wei. Li Tai threw the secret report into the brazier and watched the paper curl into ash in the flames. He said slowly, "Opportunity? If it is not handled properly, it will be a disaster that will burn you."

"Do you know what the emperor's attitude is towards the prince's actions?"

Chai Lingwu said: "According to the reports from the spies in the palace, Your Majesty is worried that the Crown Prince will use this opportunity to build up his power, but he also secretly admires his courage to break the aristocratic family. This contradictory mentality is exactly the opportunity we can take advantage of."

Li Tai stood up and paced: "Father has always been wary of the aristocratic families becoming too powerful, but he also doesn't want the prince to become too powerful. We must make the aristocratic families hate the prince to the core, but we must not let Father realize that we are the ones fanning the flames behind the scenes."

After a slight pause, he asked, "What is Mr. Fang's attitude?"

Chu Suiliang is somewhat unreliable now, and Li Tai still wants to win over Fang Xuanling.

It’s just that Fang Yiai hasn’t come to the palace very often recently.

Chai Lingwu was silent for a moment.

He really wanted to tell the King of Wei that he should not count on Fang Xuanling. Although His Majesty did not blame him for colluding with the Turks, he was naturally aware of the matter.

How could Fang Xuanling possibly support a prince who colluded with foreign countries?

But Chai Lingwu couldn't say these words.

After all, it was he who conveyed the message to Fang Yiai.

After thinking for a while, Chai Lingwu said, "Mr. Fang has always been a prudent man who protects himself. Although he did not openly support the crown prince in this reform of the imperial examination system, he also did not agree with the impeachment of the aristocratic families."

Li Tai was very unhappy: "Fang Xuanling, this old fox, bet on both sides."

After a pause, he continued, "After this imperial examination, you can secretly contact those children of noble families who were frustrated by the reform of the imperial examination system. Tell them that the king is eager to recruit talents."

Li Tai was not a fool. The support from the Five Surnames and Seven Families for him was already declining.

Especially after what happened with Cui Wenxin.

Previously Cui Wensheng, now Cui Wenxin.

Many members of the Qinghe Cui clan already had a strong prejudice against the King of Wei.

Moreover, in the struggle between the King of Wei and the Crown Prince, he was always at a disadvantage and never had the upper hand.

Without any hope in sight, who would be willing to continue supporting?

In other words, there is no choice now, and given the sunk costs, we will still support it for the time being.

Li Tai heard some rumors that someone within the Five Surnames and Seven Families proposed to support the Prince of Jin.

Li Tai naturally could not sit idly by and wait for death, this imperial examination was his opportunity.

The influence of the investment banking documents is on the world's aristocratic families, not just the five surnames and seven families.

In the past, most children from aristocratic families only needed to have enough reputation, even if their writing skills were poor, to become officials by relying on their family's influence.

Now that investment banking papers have been abolished, people only read articles anonymously. The disparity between the two is huge.

In particular, bamboo paper greatly lowered the price of paper. Various classics were printed in large quantities, and the price kept falling, which allowed more poor students to be able to study.

The prince’s idea is very clear: to recruit scholars from humble backgrounds.

Li Tai had different ideas.

Although the aristocratic families suffered losses in the reform of the imperial examination system, they still have a deep social foundation, economic strength and cultural resources. By winning over these frustrated aristocratic families, one can weaken the support base of the crown prince and gain more political allies for oneself.

Not only that, Li Tai also planned to package the failed son of aristocratic family as a "victim crushed by the prince's new policies" through banquets, gifts, public support, etc., and use his family's influence to spread negative public opinion in the aristocratic circle that "the prince ruins people's official careers" in order to shake the centrist officials' trust in the prince.

When scholars from poor families entered the court through the imperial examination, the upward path for children from aristocratic families narrowed, and conflicts of interest were bound to arise between the two sides.

Li Tai could then instigate open and covert struggles between the new and old forces, forcing the court into the quagmire of party struggles, thereby weakening the legitimacy of the prince's reforms.

And most importantly, if this plan succeeds, his dependence on the Five Surnames and Seven Families will be greatly reduced.

Chai Lingwu was a little worried: "King Wei, isn't this action too obvious? What if His Majesty knew about it?"

Li Tai shook his head: "How can it be accomplished if it's not obvious?"

"I want everyone in the world to know that the door of the Prince of Wei's Palace is always open to talented people. Those children of noble families who were blocked from official careers by the crown prince are already dissatisfied. With a little guidance, they will become a sharp knife."

After he finished speaking, he continued, "Besides, if my father asks, I will say that I am helping the court to relieve its worries and appease the noble families for him."
-
A courtyard in Taiji Palace.

After many days, Li Zhi finally found an opportunity to meet Mei Niang again.

For Mei Niang, it is no longer just her beauty, but more about her dependence.

When he encountered difficult problems, Mei Niang could always come up with new solutions.

The imperial examination has not yet begun, but the news about the Prince of Wei's mansion has already spread.

Li Zhi did not need to analyze the situation himself, as Li Yifu would explain the situation to him.

However, faced with such a situation, Li Yifu didn't know how to resolve it.

With only the military power of the Right Jinwu Guard, he has no advantage here.

The Crown Prince lacks a team, so how could the Prince of Jin not lack one too?

The only one who was not missing was the King of Wei.

"Am I just going to watch?"

"The King of Wei is courting the noble families, the Crown Prince is recruiting the poor, who in the court and the country would cast their eyes on a powerless King of Jin like me?"

Li Zhi also wanted to get a piece of the pie from the imperial examination, but he was helpless.

Wu Meiniang comforted him softly, "Why is the King of Jin so anxious?"

"The Crown Prince is radical, and his abolition of the Xingjuan has touched the foundation of the aristocratic families. The King of Wei is ruthless, and he uses the aristocratic families to suppress the Crown Prince. These two are too aggressive, and although they seem to be in a good position, they have actually put themselves at the center of controversy."

"Your Majesty is just watching from the sidelines, but in fact he is very worried about the Crown Prince and the King of Wei."

"The more intense the struggle, the less mercy there will be."

Li Zhi said in a deep voice: "But they are growing stronger."

"After the reform of the imperial examination system, the poor children worshipped the prince as their savior. The noble families were dissatisfied and turned to the King of Wei. If I wait any longer, I won't even get the leftovers!"

Wu Mei Niang was not in a hurry: "When Emperor Gaozu started his army, heroes like Li Mi and Dou Jiande were the first to proclaim themselves emperors. They seemed to have the upper hand, but who was the one who finally pacified the world?"

"The current dispute between the Crown Prince and the King of Wei is just like the war among the princes back then. If the King of Jin rashly joins the fight, he will only create another target."

Li Zhi was a little depressed: "But how long should I wait?"

Wu Meiniang said slowly: "The opportunity is not elsewhere, but in this chaos."

"The crown prince's reforms offended the aristocratic families; the King of Wei made enemies, causing dissatisfaction among the poor. The reputation of the King of Jin for his kindness has long been known throughout the court and the country. Those officials who are tired of party struggles and students who are eager to study in peace are all potential helpers to the King of Jin."

"The more fiercely the Crown Prince fights with the King of Wei, the more Your Majesty will think of the King of Jin who is not competitive and treats others with kindness. At this moment, the King of Jin only needs to continue to respect the wise and humble, and make friends with others. When the situation becomes stalemate and difficult to resolve, that will be the day for the King of Jin to break the impasse."

In fact, Wu Meiniang’s statement was similar to Li Yifu’s, both of which asked Li Zhi to wait for the right opportunity.

However, Wu Meiniang's words were more easily accepted by Li Zhi.

Hearing this, Li Zhi thought for a moment, and then said, "Okay, I'll listen to Mei Niang."

(End of this chapter)